Process for preparing desiccated milk of magnesia and product resulting therefrom



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE PROCESS FOR PREPARING DESICCATED MILK F MAGNESIA AND PRODUCT RE- SULTING THEREFROM Sol Snyder, Edgemere, N. Y.

No Drawing. Application January 15,1934, 7 V V Serial No. 106,665

Claims. (CL 167-58) This invention relates to a process for preparing this dry material is brought into contact with the colloidal magnesium hydroxide and the product correct volume of water it forms a colloidal susresulting therefrom. It deals with the treatment pension having the high viscosity and non-settling of the aqueous suspension of magnesium hyproperties akin to the original magma magnesia. droxide commonly known as magma magnesia I have also found that the bentonite clay exerts a or milk of magnesia, so as to render it substanprotective action on the magnesium hydroxide by tially anhydrous and yet retain the colloidal proptending to prevent the formation of magnesium erties of the original magma magnesia. The carbonate when the material is exposed to air. product resulting from this treatment, when The details of the above process are not to be 10 added to the proper amount of water regenerates considered as limiting this invention. but various 10 a suspension of magnesium hydroxide having changes and proportions may be made without essentially the same colloidal properties as the departing from the scope of this patent. The vaoriginal magma magnesia. rious commercially obtainable bentonite clays Magma magnesia as commonly prepared is an vary as to their colloidal properties and I have aqueous suspension of the washed precipitate refound that the optimum proportions may vary be- 15 suiting from the action of an alkali on a magtween 2 parts by weight of bentonite to 1 part by nesium salt. When thus prepared the suspension weight of magnesium hydroxide contained in the exhibits definite colloidal properties such as a magma magnesia to 1 part by weight of bentonhigh viscosity, relative little tendency for the preite to 6 parts by weight of magnesium hydroxide cipitate to settle out and if the concentration of contained in the magma magnesia. Instead of this colloidal magnesium hydroxide is too high adding an aqueous suspension of the bentonite the suspension no longer remains a liquid, but a clay to the magma magnesia the dry powdered solid gel is formed. If this colloidal suspension bentonite may be added directly and stirred until of magnesium hydroxide is dried by the evaporaa homogeneous suspension results. Under certion of the water as, for instance, by heating over tain conditions it might be found cheaper to filter a hot water bath and the resulting anhydrous off and press out the excess water from the magma material ground to a fine powder and then susmagnesia-bentonite suspension before evaporatpended in water, it will be found that this suspening it to dryness.

sion will have none of the colloidal properties Ifamounts of bentonite are used below the optiassociated with the original magma magnesia. mum proportions given above, the colloidal prop- 30 The viscosity of this suspension is not materially erties of the magma magnesia are partially regreater than the water itself, it settles out rapidly tained, for instance, 1 part by weight of bentonite and the colloidal properties which are so essento 20 parts by weight of magnesium hydroxide tial to the therapeutic properties of the original contained in the magma magnesia shows a demagma magnesia are utterly destroyed. cided superiority over the untreated dried mas- 35 I have found that by the addition of highly colnesium hydroxide. loidal clays of the type of bentonite to the magma What I claim is:

magnesia before drying I am able to conserve the 1. The process of making desiccated magma colloidal properties of the magma magnesia on magnesia which comprises mixing an aqueous I subsequent drying. suspension of bentonite clay with magma mag- This process may best be illustrated by an exnesia and drying the resulting mixture, the henample of which the following is typical: A smooth tonite clay being present in sumcient quantity to homogeneous suspension of bentonite clayis made preserve the colloidal form of the magma magwith water. This suspension is added to the nesia on drying.

magma magnesia in the proportion of 1 part of 2. As a new product of manufacture, a substan- 45 bentonite to 3 parts of magnesium hydroxide contially anhydrous combination of colloidal magtained in the magma magnesia. The water is nesium hydroxide and bentonite clay, said bennow evaporated oil, by any of the usual methods; tonite clay being present in suihcient quantity to the only precaution taken is to keep the tempreserve the colloidal nature of said magnesium perature below the point where magnesium hyhydroxide. I

droxide forms magnesium oxide. This mixture 3. The process of making desiccated magma dries readily and when dry it is readily powdered. magnesia which comprises mixing an aqueous sussuitable flavoring agents such as oil of pepperpension of bentonite clay with magma magnesia mint may be added to increase its palatability and and drying the resulting mixture, the bentonite it may be stamped into tablets or wafers. when clay present being from 15 to 200% of the weight of the magnesium hydroxide contained in said magma magnesia.

4. The process of preparing desiccated magma magnesia which consists in mixing bentonite clay and magma magnesia, to'form a homogeneous mass and in then drying this mixture, the bentonite clay being present in sufiicient quantity to preserve the colloidal form of the magma magnesia on drying.

5. As a new product of manufacture a substantially anhydrous combination of colloidal magnesium hydroxide and bentonite clay, the percentage of bentonite clay present being from 15 to 200% of the weight of the magnesium hydroxide. 5

SOL SNYDER. 

